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An Analysis of Birth Stories of Adults with Spina Bifida
By
Linda M. Muccitelli
A Dissertation Presented to the
Faculty of the USC Graduate School
University of Southern California
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
Doctor of Philosophy
(Occupational Science)
May 2013

For a person with a congenital disability, evidence indicates that the early life story of birth can be a resource for identity formation. Despite this, early life stories in general and birth stories in particular have rarely been studied or analyzed theoretically. In this research, the author analyzed birth stories told by 12 adults with spina bifida which were gathered during an original narrative study entitled Understanding the Life Experiences of Adults with Spina Bifida (Lawlor & Neville-Jan, 2003). The author's interpretations were guided by narrative and thematic analysis. The author identified three emergent themes including a) creating coherence, b) resistance and desire, and 3) creating meaning. Participants constructed and negotiated stories about their birth in a variety ways. One participant created coherence by blaming the medical profession, another by re-performing his birth through narrative. Several participants created meaning through metaphors, such as the body as a machine, beating the odds, and life and death; while others situated their stories within a spiritual framework.

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An Analysis of Birth Stories of Adults with Spina Bifida
By
Linda M. Muccitelli
A Dissertation Presented to the
Faculty of the USC Graduate School
University of Southern California
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
Doctor of Philosophy
(Occupational Science)
May 2013